ARTICLE - 7

I finally plucked up the courage to make an appointment with one of the psychotherapists from ‘Reach Approach’ after a friend pointed me in their direction.

Over the previous months my relationship with my partner had badly deteriorated and led to a separation, and I was barely functioning.

My first concern was for my children as they struggled to come to terms with their new situation and their father’s absence from their everyday lives.

I really had no idea of how much information to give them…I knew it was important not to involve them in our breakdown and yet they were asking all sorts of questions which needed an answer.

I found having somewhere to go to explore how I was feeling helped me enormously. I came to understand, through the process, that dealing with my own feelings around the breakdown of the relationship was pivotal in being able to give the right level of support to my children. Thanks to The Reach approach, I had a map.

The ability to just be myself in a supportive place where I did not have to pretend, helped me to cope in situations where it was necessary for me ‘to be the grown-up’.

Unravelling some of the relationship issues has helped me to see patterns in my behaviour that can really help me going forward into the next phase of my life, and yet I know that this will take patience and practice to achieve. Thanks to all at the Reach Approach and particularly Elaine.